miles4sheli

Hi,

I have an upcoming flight on Aegean. (My first segments are with American Airlines into ATH and then with Aegean to Tel Aviv. They are not on one ticket, but 2 distinct tickets due to an award ticket, so I've been told my luggage cannot be checked all the way through). It has been over 10 years since I flew in or out of Athens via Olympic (although I have visited the city numerous times since). I have already called Aegean to ask questions, but I would just like confirmation from fellow travelers that the information given is correct. From my arrival time to my departure time, I have a layover of over 14 hours. We enjoy spending time in Athens and will take the Metro into the city for the day.

The phone agent told me I could check-in online 48 hours in advance and I plan to do so. She also told me I could not drop off my luggage with Aegean more than 2 hours before our flight. I will have Lounge Access in Athens and the original plan was to drop off our luggage at the storage facility, go into town, come back, check-in and then spend time in the Lounge. We do not plan to be out in the city very late at night. Not being able to check in and drop off our luggage more than 2 hours prior to our flight is slightly problematic, as I was given no other options for our checked luggage other than storing it and checking in 2 hours maximum before our flight. This means we can check in no earlier than 9:50pm for our 11:50pm flight.

So, thinking this through, if we came back at, say, 7pm, we would need to go through security to access the lounge, spend a few hours there and then go back out of the secured area, retrieve our bags, check them in and then go back through security again while we await our flight. Is that truly our only option? If it is, it might just be better for us to stay out later than we expected. Then again, we are cautious when it comes to public transportation and timetables. Since we will already be checked in with Aegean, is there any way to get our luggage tagged at the transfer desk?

THANKS SO MUCH! Appreciate any tips or advice.

t566

I wouldn't exchange extra time at any lounge in ATH for some extra time downtown, therefore I'd suggest you to have dinner and drinks in Athens and then head out to the airport again.

Checking in 2 hours before departure still gives you more than enough time to check out the (rather unexciting) lounges.

NWIFlyer

Whilst agreeing with t566 on the wisdom of spending vast amounts of time in the A3 lounge, you would not actually have to pass through security - both the A3 & LH lounges are pre-security in the Schengen area. You are travelling to a non-Schengen country, of course, and would therefore need to eventually clear the central security for those gates to access the contract lounge A3 uses there, but there is no earthly reason why you shouldn't take your luggage into the Schengen lounges whilst you wait - just tell the people checking the boarding passes what you're doing.

This does assume, of course, that your immigration status allows you into the Schengen zone ...

miles4sheli

Thank you both for the advice!

NWIFlyer, are you saying that they will allow our checked luggage into the lounge?

We were planning on returning around 7pm to be able to rest a bit before our flight. By the time we land at Athens at 9:15am, it will have been 18 hours since our first flight the previous morning, not counting the hour's drive to the airport + check-in process. With an 11:50pm departure, we won't arrive in TLV until 1:50am and then will drive to our hotel after that. Thankfully, the flight to ATH is nearly 10 hours in business, so we should be able to rest on that leg. But I'd imagine we'll be a bit tired by the evening after such a long layover. Perhaps we'll stay out a little longer and enjoy more time in Athens.

I'm familiar with the public transportation in Athens. Would you recommend the bus or the metro into the city?

Thanks again! So appreciate the feedback.

KLouis

I've never heard that you can't check your luggage prior to -2 hours and, most importantly, this is not written anywhere in A3's site. Unless this is a new, security-dictated measure that I'm not aware of, it does sound odd. From my personal experience I can say that I've checked my luggage several times at times between -3 and -4 hours (but not at -12 like you plan).

Since you have so much time available, and I have never, ever seen anybody at the transfer desk, I'd suggest to go up to the regular CI desks immediately after your arrival and the retrieval of your stuff, and see whether the agent at the M+B Gold dedicated desk would not be convinced to accept your luggage for your next flight. I'm almost certain that they'll say yes, especially if you look tired and tell them that you flew in from the US. Of course, if the (new) rule is that strict, well, go back to the arrivals floor and leave your stuff at the storage facility. When coming back in the evening leave your stuff at the storage facility until -2 hours, and do visit the A3 or the LH lounge. As NWIFlyer already wrote, you'll have to tell the person checking the BCs that you're visiting the A3 lounge. This should not be a problem, and you won't have to show your passport to anybody.

miles4sheli

Thanks for your post! She didn't tell me it was a rule per se, but I pretty much said, "what if I'm there 3 hours in advance and need to turn in my luggage?" and she wouldn't confirm that someone would take them. Actually, she said the same for Tel Aviv, which surprised me. Many times (though it's been quite a while) I have arrived 3 hours early for a flight out of TLV (and there were times it took every minute!), but she seemed to indicate the desk would only be open for 2. Not sure if she was just trying to give me extra time, but if someone knows for sure, that would be great. Wouldn't want to wait around for an extra hour if I didn't have to. On the other hand, wouldn't want to miss my flight, either

THANKS!

Knobbgb

I really think they will accept your bags early. I regularly (well, 3 or 4 times per year) drop them at least three hours before the flight. The Aegean desks are all common to every flight (i.e. not a desk for each flight) and are staffed all day. I am assuming you are Gold so surely they will do everything they can to help at the Gold desk.

As somebody else said, there is a paid luggage store which is just to the left as you exit the secured area at arrivals.

There are also lockers in the A3 lounge but I'm not sure they are big enough for a large suitcase. You could try though - go to the lounge after you arrive. If nothing else you can have coffee and breakfast before heading off to the city. As already mentioned, it's before security but you'll need to show your onward boarding passes to enter the 'A' departure area and explain what you are doing.

Also, I wouldn't totally give up on getting the bags through checked. It's unlikely but still worth asking (very nicely) one more time before you leave the US.

NWIFlyer

I see no reason why not - as has also been said, there are some lockers in the A3 lounge (beside the desk) but they are probably only suitable for carry-on sized luggage. I would imagine you will be expected to remain in the lounge (or at least the airport) whilst you use them as well, so they would not be intended for long-term storage. You would, of course, have to leave the lounge and go back to the check-in desks before going through to the the non-Schengen part of the terminal, but it sounds like you've allowed plenty of time for that.

There's probably not too much in it timewise. The bus is cheaper, but after a long flight I think I'd be inclined to pay the extra 3 Euros (iirc) for the smoother ride on the metro.

headingwest

I'd agree. That bus ride into the city is rather bumpy and stops at so many bus stops, therefore, seems to last foreeeeeeverrrrrrrrr!

KLouis

I underlines "seems". Actually, if not too much traffic, it takes about 40 minutes, i.e. a little faster than the underground and it saves me an additional 10 minutes of uphill walk from Syntagma. Plus, there are at least four busses per hour as opposed to two trains!

KLouis

At outstations such as TLV and FCO and many more, the policy is indeed to (wo)man the desks for two hours before the flight. Often, though, the agents get at the desk earlier but you can't count on that. In ATH they're always there.

frenchft

yes, it's one the best thing in ATH, you can check in the same day when flying A3, i have even already checked in the day before. Even if i haven't find written rules sounds that they are flexible (or don't have procedure in place).

Yesterday i have checkin in at arrival luggage in the morning for a flight late evening (not even a question).

My tips : double check that they send the luggage on the right flight, because it's not usual way, mistakes can happens and your luggage arrive before you.